SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco State baseball team opened up the series with a pair of games against Montana State Billings at Maloney Field. It was a tail of two games in the first action of 2024. The Gators' offense struggled to get going in a 6-1 loss to start the day. In game two, the Gators had seven runs in the first innings and the pitching staff threw a one-hit shutout in a 10-0 seven inning win.
- SF State was selected as the eighth ranked team in the West Region while Montana Billings received votes.
- The Gators threw out three runners in game one.
- Derek Laferriere was a perfect 4-for-4 in game one.
- Justin Johnson was the first Gator to hit a homer this season, launching a grand slam out of right field. He hit another homer later in the game as well.
Game one
Montana Billings got back-to-back singles from their first two batters. Kaden Kirshenbaum brought in the first runner on a fielder's choice. Kirshenbaum made it to third and scored off a Gator throwing error. A sac fly gave the Yellowjacket their third run of the first.
Jacob French took a pitch to the side,
Daniel Santos' double got hm to third and
Armando Murillo grounded out to allow French to score. A pair of walks put baserunners on in the fourth and an RBI single increased Montana Billings' lead to 4-1. A sac fly extended the lead to 5-1 in the fifth and the Yellowjacks got an insurance run in the eighth.
Game Two
After three straight walks to start the game,
Matt Sugden reached on an error to allow the first runner to score.
Johnny Alvarez singled to left field to move everyone up 90 feet.
Justin Johnson took his first at-bat as a Gator and launched the ball over the wall for a Grand Slam.
Camden Andrews doubled down the left field line and Murillo singled to plate the seventh run of the inning. Sugden drew a free base in the second inning off a hit by pitch,
Johnny Alvarez advanced him to third with a double, and Sugden came in for the eighth run off a sac fly. Johnson and
Christian Smith hit back-to-back first pitch homers in the fifth to extend the lead to 10-0
- Ryan Garza threw five innings of no-hit baseball to earn the win. He tossed six strikeouts with giving up three walks.
- Jacob French tossed an inning, giving up the only hit of the game but struck out the other three batters faced.
- Andrew Silva retired three batters, striking out two.
The Gators are scheduled to finish the series on Sunday, February 4 at noon weather permitting.